Individual drive or guide lug for endless rubber track drives

ABSTRACT

An individual replacement drive and or guide lug for missing or worn lugs on the inside circumference of various endless rubber tracks used on multi-surface vehicles. A user of multi-surface vehicles with endless rubber track drives can install the present design without the purchase of an expensive new rubber track. The original equipment manufacturer installs rubber tracks that have reinforced rubber composition lugs vulcanized on the inside circumference of the track. These rubber lugs interlock with openings in the equipment drive sprockets to drive the endless rubber track and the applicable equipment. After 250 to 500 hours of use or when used in a harsh environment the rubber drive or guide lugs start shearing and breaking off. When the drive or guide lugs start wearing additional load is placed on the remaining lugs which causes additional lugs to shear off until total equipment failure occurs. It requires 4 to 7 drive lugs to make contact with the drive sprocket segment of the endless rubber track for proper operation of the multi-surface vehicle. To install the present invention properly the surface of the inner track where the original reinforced rubber drive or guide lug was located must be prepared. When the original drive or guide lug fails it leaves an irregular surface and must be ground flat with the inner track belt substrate. To achieve proper indexing a template is placed over the track belt for locating two holes for the grade 8 bolts. After the bolts with the washer next to the head are inserted the replaceable drive/guide lug is placed over the bolts. A power impact wrench is used to tighten until the bolt head and washer compresses into the outer circumference of the track belt. 
     The present invention is designed to have the same configuration as the reinforced rubber composition drive or guide lugs on the original rubber track. The present invention drive lugs are made from solid rigid metal or non-metallic material and are stronger and will last longer than the original rubber vulcanized lugs. After installation there is no need for torque, lubrication and or maintenance. The drive/guide lugs of the present invention previously installed on retired tracks are available to be removed and used a second time.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS:

None

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH:

None

SEQUENCE LISTING:

None

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to all endless rubber track drive type equipment used on multi-surface vehicles that are used in various industries. More specifically it relates to the rubber drive and or guide lugs which are vulcanized on the inside circumference of the rubber tracks. The present invention provides for a direct replacement for any lug that becomes worm, broken or totally removed from the drive track during use. Rubber tracks on earth movers are exposed to harsh environments of sharp rock, sand, ice, snow and mud for many hours at a time. After 250 to 500 hours of use the factory installed tracks start losing portions of their reinforced rubber composition vulcanized drive or guide lugs.. Once deterioration starts occurring the adjacent drive lugs must share the drive torque pressure, causing additional wear until the most worn drive lugs completely break away from the rubber track substrate. Drive/guide lug deterioration will continue until total drive failure occurs which means that 1 or more lugs have been fractured to the point they are non functional. It requires 4 to 7 drive or guide lugs to make contact with the drive sprocket for proper equipment operation. When total traction failure occurs due to missing drive or guide lugs the original equipment manufacturers recommend replacing the rubber track with a new track which cost a lot of downtime and several thousand dollars.. With the present invention, permanent field repair is possible to obtain mobility. The rubber track substrate must be properly prepared to allow for installation of the individual drive or guide lugs with two grade 8 bolts and washers.

1. Prior Art

U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,453 by A. Deland is an endless rubber track claiming self cleaning design and makes no claim for replacement of individual drive lugs as does the present invention. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,435,291, 6,435,292, 6,247,547 by Lemke: Gary, Lemke; Brad and Self, is for suspension and drive mechanism for multi-surface vehicles. This art covers detail suspension, drive mechanism and the use of rubber reinforced tracks with driver lugs. It makes no claim for replacement of individual drive lugs as does the present invention. The present invention provides instructions for field replacement of drive and or guide lugs and provides instructions for repair centers. In conclusion, prior art of rubber track manufacturers or original rubber track equipment manufacturer does not recommend replacing missing drive lugs caused by wear in the field. Original equipment manufacturers only recommend replacing the complete rubber track. The present invention has proven to be successful for both field and repair center installation.

2. Objectives and Advantages

The objective of the present invention is to provide a reliable replacement drive or guide lug for endless rubber track drives. The objectives of this invention are to provide for repair and replacement of tom, worn, broken or missing drive or guide lugs on endless rubber track drives.

As of the background, the present design was developed after the endless rubber track drives design allowed complete drive or guide lug to completely deteriorate after 250 or 500 hours of use. The advantages of the present design is it provides for a method to extend the life of the endless rubber track drive rather than replacing it with an expensive new track. The objective and advantage of the present design allows for field repair rather than maintenance shop repair. It eliminates many hours of downtime and provides for significant cost savings. The present invention has been tested and used on equipment in Kansas and Missouri with outstanding success while exposed to all types of harsh environments.

The objectives and advantages of the present invention described above are:

-   -   a. Provides for a quick and safe shop or field repair.     -   b. Extends the life of the track.     -   c. Minimizes downtime.     -   d. Provides for owner repair of equipment rather than dealer         repair.     -   e. Stores replacement lugs in repair tool boxes with ease.     -   f. Provides significant cost savings.     -   g. Contains environmental friendly materials.     -   h. Contains non corrosive materials.     -   i. Increases reliability and durability over vulcanized lugs.     -   j. Bonds to the track substrate mechanically rather than being         vulcanized.     -   k. Allows for recycle after the life of endless rubber tracks         has been exceeded.

SUMMARY

The present invention is an individual drive or guide lug replacement for endless rubber track type equipment. After proper track preparation the individual lug is attached to the rubber tack substrate with grade 8 bolts in the same location as the missing drive or guide lug. Although field installation is possible it is best accomplished by removing the rubber track and cleaning the substrate in the same location of the missing lug(s). This allows the user to have a method to repair their own track rather than ordering a completely new track. It provides the user with a quick repair method and it also eliminates the possibility of having excessive downtime when drive or guide failure occurs. Accordingly several advantages of the present invention are to provide a quick method to repair existing rubber track drive/guide lugs in a safe and economical manner, to extend existing rubber tracks life, to eliminate slippage due to worn drive lugs, and to provide individual replacement drive/guide lugs that exceed the life of the original equipment lugs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Attachment 1:

FIG. 1 consists of a one sheet drawing showing the present invention consisting of 3 items.

-   -   Item 1 Basic Drive or Guide Body     -   Item 2 Grade 8 bolt     -   Item 3 Grade 8 washer

Item 1 is a replica of the lug drive or guide found on the inside surface of endless rubber track that are on the multi-surface type vehicles. It is made of metallic and or non metallic material. The present design can be machined or formed to size.

Item 2 (two required) is a full thread grade 8 bolt. It is long enough to extend through the outside surface of the endless rubber track and a minium 80% through the present design.

Item 3 is a grade 8 washer to match the size of the grade 8 bolt. It acts as a retainer to keep the head of the bolt from pulling through the outer surface of the track when it is tightened.

Operation:

In operation the present invention is used to replace missing or worn drive or guide lugs and can be installed by the user in the field or in a designated repair center resulting in the minimum amount of downtime and a huge cost savings. In addition the drive/guide lugs of the present invention can be removed from retired endless rubber tracks and installed on active tracks that have missing lugs. 

1. An individual replacement drive lug or guide for endless rubber tracks used on multi-surface vehicles such as front loaders and earth moving and agriculture equipment comprising: a single part configuration machined or formed in the shape of a single rubber track drive or guide lug and constructed with rigid metal or non-metallic material. The material strength is equal to or greater than the original rubber vulcanized track lugs located on the inside circumference of the endless rubber track supplied by the original equipment manufacture. The present invention is attached to the endless rubber substrate in the same location of the missing drive/guide lugs with two grade 8 bolts and washers. The useful life of the present invention has proven to be equal to or greater than the drive/guide lugs located on the inside surface of the endless rubber track drives that are installed on the equipment supplied by the original equipment manufacturer. 